Raddog, most of the unfortunates who get signed up by Cowell end up getting the life sucked out of them because they are expected to give maximum return on the record companies investment, and once the public gets bored of them, which will be approximately 12 months, they are dumped and left to fend for themselves. Such is the fate of modern pop acts, particularly since these ‘talent’ shows became just a vehicle for vampires like Cowell to make huge amounts of money while investing nothing in the development and nurturing of the acts.
I couldn’t name a single act in the current top twenty, but once upon a time I could name all of them, and I’d probably have records by most of them.
Perhaps you could name some of the acts who have won X-Factor, or whatever, over the last five years, who are still having chart success.